S o r n i wrote:
:: Roger Zoul wrote: {it /is/ kinda long but very entertaining...for
:: us!}
::
::: Well, Thursday I had cleats put in my shoes and I switched over to
::: clipless pedals.
:::
::: I spent an hour or more on the trainer at the LBS getting used to
::: locking in/out. The hot lady who works there adjusted the tension so
::: that they were pretty easy to lock in/out -- which seemd to be what
::: I needed at the time. I got home, moved the bike out of the garage,
::: locked in the left foot, then nearly fell to my left. I managed to
::: catch myself. I got on the bike and rode around my small
::: subdivision
::: a bit while practicing locking in / locking out.. No real problems
::: until once I got to a stop while a car was going by...I felt
::: unsure....
:::
::: So yesterday I did about 6 miles around my neighborhood, hitting a
::: few hard hills. Practiced locking in / locking out while riding --
::: over and over. Didn't really stop, though. No problems. I found
::: that working the cleats in / out of the pedals on a real bike ride
::: is much easier than doing so on a trainer. I felt good about it...
:::
::: That brings the story to today, my first real day of bicycling
::: shame,
::: I might add. I was planning to do 45 to 50 miles, depending on how
::: I felt. So, I left out at first light, got through the first red
::: light
::: fine -- had to stop...locked out right foot...no problems...Got to
::: the place where I meet my riding buddy about 4 miles from my house
::: -- he's there ready and waiting....so I lock out my right
::: foot...sort
::: coast up to him to chat a bit. Get my right foot to the ground.
::: Bamn! Fell to the left (while talking to him) while left foot is
::: locked in (Pat suggested I lock out both feet but I forgot)...there
::: was a slight incline near the road edge so that my right side was
::: lower then my left...on the fall I twisted the saddle, and knocked
::: off some of the seat material -- I guess a new saddle is in my
::: distant future. Messed up the rear brakes enough that the rear tire
::: didn't roll freely. Fixed all of that...
:::
::: Everything was great for the next 16 miles or so, in fact, it seemed
::: like my speed was up, though I was pushing it a bit since I had
::: birthday cake last night and wanted to burn it off....at mile 20...I
::: was coming to a stop to meet my riding buddy, who got there ahead of
::: me (he weighs 60 lbs less than I do)...so this time I lock out both
::: feet as I only had maybe 30 yards to go to stop....Bamn! Fell to
::: the right. Turns out, my right foot had locked back in and I
::: didn't even know it! That was really embarrassing as I was talking
::: to him and we both knew the moment I was going down. It all
::: happens in slow motion
::: it seems, even though once you start to go you can't do much about
::: it. Glad I had my helmet on as my head hit the pavement. Talk
::: about
::: the inverted pendulum problem.
:::
::: Anywho...at about 25 miles out along the route, I hear this
::: noise....had popped a spoke on the rear wheel. Dang -- I just had
::: popped a spoke on tuesday on that same wheel and had to have it
::: trued. Well, there I was with the wheel out of true again. I could
::: do nothing to get the spoke back in. Some out-of-town cyclist came
::: by
::: to offer a hand...he was training for an Ironman event in Florida
::: (we're in SC)...there was nothing he could do so he wished my a good
::: walk home...I was looking at about 11 miles....not too bad but at 3
::: mph with a bike I was not looking forward to it. My buddy was
::: nowhere to be seen although he was to wait for me at a certain point
::: on the route since he didn't know where we were going today beyond
::: that point...so I released the rear brake and tried to ride with the
::: wheel out of true...it all seemed to be working, so I made a U-turn
::: in the middle of the road to head for the meet point. But, alas,
::: the rear wheel hung and --- what do you know --- bamn! I was on the
::: friggin pavement again! This time I felt a bit defeated. So I just
::: started hoofing it home. Luckily, after about 4 miles a kindly old
::: fellow and his wife stopped to ask how far of I walk I had...I told
::: them 9 miles...I did the math wrong..it was only about 7 miles...but
::: anyway, the fellow was cyclist...81 years old...had a bike rack on
::: his other car....so he went home and came back, hitched up my bike,
::: and drove me home....finally (after calling my riding buddies to see
::: if he made it back), I hurried to the LBS where the hot lady (who
::: sold me my bike) managed to rush my bike back so I can get it back
::: by 3pm (hopefully, that was nice of her to try, huh?). I discovered
::: that
::: my left palm is all swollen, too. Must be from one of those
::: falls....
:::
::: Comments on how to avoid any more spills and what to do with a
::: popped spoke and an untrued wheel on a ride would be much
::: appreciated.
::: Somehow, I feel a bit unsure if myself now....damn!
::
:: Some day you'll look back on this and laugh. {Pause for cursing to
:: commence.}

I'm already laughing, to be honest. Everytime I think about it just make it
that much funnier.

::
:: Sorry you had such a rough time of it out there; at least no serious
:: injury or bike damage.
::
:: Sounds like you'll get the hang of the clipless thing pretty soon
:: (pain is a great motivator in that regard). As for the wheel, it's
:: possible you damaged the spoke in the falls and close calls, but you
:: may want to consider having it rebuilt anyway since you'd broken a
:: different spoke quite recently. Ask the LBS?

I'm going to see them at 3pm, so I'll ask.

::
:: Some people carry those kevlar (?) emergency spokes, but I would
:: have done what you did (open brakes and try to ride -- maybe even
:: remove them if necessary -- possibly trying to true the wheel, too,
:: although I'd be afraid that I'd screw up the spoke tension too much).

I'm going to study up on this....luckily I bought a book on bicycle
machanics plus visit those websites. Learning to care for my own bike can't
hurt, and certainly learning what i can do to be able to ride home is really
important!

::
:: One last thought about the pedals/cleats: check your shoes to make
:: sure no rubber sole material is interfering with engagement (and
:: more imp. DISengagement!); and tighten the screws to ensure no cleat
:: movement (sure death!).

So far, movement hasn't been a problem. I think part of what happened today
is that I was talking to my riding buddy when I should have been paying more
attention to getting unlocked! And in that U-turn I didn't have much speed
and I think I had a reflex action of jerking into the turn. I should have
turned while locking out. While I think I can get in and out with relative
ease, doing so is still something that I have to think about. But I'll
check the cleats anyway, and the lady at the LBS wants me to bring the
shoes, so she probably wants to adjust them.

::
:: Bill "was planning a ride but maybe yoga safer?!?" S.

Some of those yoga movements can get you in trouble! Thanks.